To think weekends with baby/toddler is so boring

[nameisnotimportant]

I feel like we're stuck in a rut and all we do is go to the park over and over again and count down to nap time. What do you do with your baby or toddler at the weekend that you actually find fun/entertaining.

I often find myself thinking 'wheres my weekend gone then?' I'm in the do what you can to get through camp. I think it's almost impossible to please the adults and tiny children so it's better to have happy children and then take time out alone when you can. I resented sooo many weekends when they were tiny. It felt like a relentless all week long grind. A little easier now mine are 3 and 6. It does get better, we get lie ins now as can stick the TV on for a couple hours in the early morning and leave them to it! Loads of great suggestions here so I won't repeat. Hang in there and book a spa day or something for you soon to look forward too even if its in 6 months time. You'll go and look back at it all and realise things have got better.

We used to invite friends over with same aged kids and have a laugh, snacks, nibbles, beers, and supervise the kids together
BlouseandSkirt I would love to do this even once, ever! But my friends with kids don't live nearby or always seem to be busy doing other things. I'd say that definitely makes life easier

maybe they could finally get to play with the boxes of unused toys they have lowandlucky i find when you're up at 5/6am and bedtime is 7/8pm, that means 14 hours of playing with those toys or 'resting' as you say. My toddler (and myself) would be climbing the walls at that stage- we're in an apartment, so garden isn't an option.

I would go where I wanted to go and the kids just come along.
Things like day trips, visiting family, galleries, meals out, walks, park, meeting friends.

My sister gave me a pack of word cards. You know with words like: circle, square, train, dog, leaf, tree, car.

Last week we picked out the tree card so I took them to the forest. When we picked out the circle card we did a hunt for circles on a walk (I.e the road signs, car wheels etc). For car we popped to the shop for a box and made a toy car out of it.

I find that helps me to mix it up a bit.

But do agree, finding a contrast these days is hard.

whomei I too had 3 young ones under 5 in a flat with no garden so i understand how difficult it can be, i am not saying never take them out in fact outside was my childrens favouite place but i think some Parents feel pressurised into spending money on they dont have entertaining their children, a walk to the park or on the beach is free

My 6 month old is utter chaos no matter where we go / what we do. He has absolutely zero chill. So I just do what I want and let him crack on and try to ignore the pitying / judgemental looks from folks 😂

I wish I could do what i like to do with my 6 month old in tow. Things I enjoy include: competitive sports (husband has her so I can go play, and vice versa but it’s not a family activity), escape rooms (possibly could do this with her in a sling but an expensive mistake if it doesn’t work), eating out (possible in the day but not exactly relaxing), adventure activities eg water park, go ape. I guess if you like NT properties, museums or walks you can just take the baby but it doesn’t work for most of the activities I enjoy. I’d be happy to go to places specifically aimed at my daughter but she’s too young to appreciate anything at the moment.

I went hiking around Alaska with mine at one point!

Yes, but you can't do that every weekend.

My toddler won't sit still in a cafe but loves watching a car wash or going for a trolley ride. Morrisons around here have a great play area in their cafe though so, after that, I can still get a tea whilst he busies himself. He also loves a nosy in Pets at Home.

Park, town, NT places, walks in the countryside, in the woods, At this time of year blackberry and sloe picking (maybe a bit late.) Trips to a beach. I am a Christian so church on Sundays usually. Swimming pool. TBH mine are older and I work 4 days a wk, Wkends are hardly most exciting here either.

Mine watches a lot of tv as well. I know everyone is judgy about that but I really don't give a shit - I used to love duvet days on the sofa with my mum watching films.

I guess if you like NT properties, museums or walks you can just take the baby but it doesn’t work for most of the activities I enjoy.

I love a stately home, but I'm bemused by people suggesting it for a toddler - you usually can't take a buggy in so you either have to carry them around the whole place (which mine does not like) or hold their hand in a vice-like grip as they desperately struggle to get away and touch all the pretty things. The gardens are nice, but that's just another, slightly posher, way of going to the park...

I think some of these suggestions are from people with older children who can't remember what was good when. You may have had some lovely days out with your DC at country houses but I find it hard to believe that they were 18 months at the time.

A lot of the time it was boring but we made an effort w friends w kids of a similar age, etc. so would meet in park, go out for tea.
We spent far too much time in soft play though!!
Once they start school it’s party central, then quietens down again in the teens when they have their own lives.

I love my son dearly. He’s 20 now and I still remember very clearly how monotonous and Groundhog Day like weekends and evenings are with a toddler. I wouldn’t go through it again for love or money. My hubby and I sometimes used to wish the hours away until bedtime. Not all the time but kids of that age can be extremely knobby and hard work. You’ll soon be through that period and on to the next big drama years of being a teenager. I do think it’s a shame to want to gallop through those precious years but sometimes it’s hard not to.

I hate It when I ask about things like this and people suggest doing activities such as baking, painting, crafts etc. My almost 2 year old will do one of these activities for approximately 30 seconds before wandering off. He's too young to enjoy things like this yet and I do struggle with activities to do in the house with him.

He's terrible if I try and have a lazy afternoon in the house with him so I am forced to go out both in the morning and then again after his nap just to keep him from going insane. Its easy in the summer but I'm starting to struggle now the weather is shit.

I'm finding this age so bloody difficult. Won't hold my hand, doesn't want to go in the buggy, just wants to charge round like a bloody hooligan everywhere.

I mean it obviously depends on what type of kid you've got. My DS is a pretty quiet and gentle toddler and is not into being destructive (not yet anyway - he's 3.5). He's very hard work in many other ways, but he's very good at sitting quietly - one of life's observers I think!

They get more interesting as they get older. I get where you’re coming from

Ds is 16 months and this weekend we have;
Saturday morning; played at home and done drawing, had a wander round the garden (he likes putting pebbles into the hole at the bottom of an upturned flower pot). Lunch and nap, went to a local shopping centre to see xmas lights, let him have a run round the outside toy bit, went shopping, dinner and play time in his room.
Today; played with toys in morning, met a friend at a local park, all went for lunch, nap, a halloween style group, saw his nanny, bath and bed.

Generally we go out, visit family, have play dates or go to the park/soft play. Nice winter walks are something I'm getting excited about too. Sometimes we go to the farm.

This week I also made some edible paint and play dough that got a good 45 minutes out the way.

Saturday morning; played at home and done drawing, had a wander round the garden (he likes putting pebbles into the hole at the bottom of an upturned flower pot).

This obviously depends on your child and their personality - in our house (with a similar aged toddler) we do exactly that (he loves putting pebbles in the watering can) but it fills about 45 mins, maybe an hour tops!

Oh I totally agree, (and am cringing that I have written "done drawing") that the activities dont necessarily last that long but it kind of goes:

Get up at half 7 ish, Breakfast about 20 minutes, wander around on his own devices for about 20 mins, brush teeth and get dressed 10 mins, drawing for probably 5- 10 mins, wander round bringing me toys and books to look at together, 5 mins putting wellys on and coat, 30 minutes in garden, come in and get wellys/ coat off, inevitably change wet/ muddy clothes, help me empty the washing machine, wander playing with toys (throwing balls or playing with cars usually). Then we have a climb up the stairs/ go to his room to have a look at things in there. At the weekend myself or DH will have had a lie in up to about 10 and so theres a new person to toddle about with then its lunch time.

Sorry that was to @lisasimpsonbff

I guess that's what a lot of our mornings look like too, meow - but it drives me a bit mad! I think the thing is that it's actually me who is rubbish at pottering - DS could probably tolerate more days in (though he's definitely a lot easier out!) but it's me who feels restless and desperate to DO something by mid-morning!

It's funny there was a point when I would have been to three parks by 8am on a walk. Now often I have to drag mine out.

Visiting pet shop, passes to zoo, NT membership, going to watch trains/planes we'd also have babychinnos in cafes sometimes.

I totally know where you’re coming from OP.
Even doing something you would have enjoyed pre baby days can be tedious when you’ve got a toddler in tow. And mine is a dream compared to some!
We have a national trust membership and had an autumn picnic today - flask of soup etc etc. That was nice. But you’ve still go to stop the little bugger stomping all over the shortbread with his muddy wellies on!

We did what we thought we’d enjoy. Went for walks, to parks, market, museums and library etc. Often met up with friends / family. Tried to get out everyday. Often went out for lunch. But yes it can be tedious, especially when the weather is bad. I loved my children as babies / toddlers but enjoy spending time with them much more as older primary school aged children if I am being honest.